Learning about San Antonio Palopó

While I know about San Antonio and have been there multiple times, actually living there is something new. On this page we plan to add various factoids as we learn about the area.

Most people cook with wood. There are wood trucks that come to San Antonio daily.

Rather than garbage day a garbage truck passes by twice a day. You pay Q1 for each (big) sack of garbage you want to dispose of. (I really like this rather than the fixed fee approach as it encourages recycling.)

There are two TukTuks based in San Antonio. One is private and belongs to a hotel, the other one lives across the street from Casa Colonial.

A ride in the back of a pickup between Panajachel and San Antonio costs Q5 and run regularly. If you are in Pana, walk onto the side street next to Chalo’s grocery and wait. Some go to San Antonio, some to Santa Catarina. Look for one with women dressed like in the photo (which is how 95% of the women in San Antonio dress).

There is a big Catholic church and a big Protestant church in San Antonio. They are across the street from each other.

There was a Banco Rural in the middle of town. Gone now!

Most properties that are not in the middle of the residential center have irrigation water (including us).

Unlike in Panajachel where there is someone making and selling tortillas within a block of virtually anywhere, in San Antonio you only find tortilla makers in the center of the village. Why? Because most people make their own tortillas. The “tortilla place” is in the public market, at the back, to the right of the meat vendor. There is also one a bit down the hill that seems to only have tortillas in the early afternoon.

If you go to the public market in San Antonio, go early. I went there today at about 11:00 and there was a very limited selection.

There are new food items in the public market on Monday (or was it Tuesday?), Thursday and Saturday. And it will be all but deserted on Sunday when everyone goes to San Lucas.